(Disclaimer: This comment is two-and-a-half years late.)

This chron was a beautiful way to bring the magic of a solar eclipse into a fantasy world ^_^

In my opinion, one of the main benefits of writing fanfiction is that I don’t have to invent a setting, I can simply use what’s already there. But you refuse to cut any corners! You pull out all the stops for every single story you write. As readers, we get to experience a new, original world - something we’d usually have to read a whole novel to get - in a single sitting. I’m aware that you had a few incomplete notes and sketches of which to base this world, but I’m not convinced that made your job much easier. I imagine it must have been difficult to attempt to stay true to Moonshadow’s original vision, without knowing much about it.

The Fir’dha world described in this story is different and foreign to anywhere the chronicles have taken place before, and it is beautiful.

It is fun to read more about Ranari, because we never got to see that much of her, and even that was a very long time ago. It’s interesting that she believes the grin’fey should abandon Fir’dha - and that she’s one of the only people who thinks so. I wonder if her previous experience adventuring to other worlds influences this belief in her. Also, I really like the "music cultivates magic" line.

It is sad to see Madaya without her spark. I would like to see what would have become of her after this story.

I disagree with your assertion that Retsy should have bigger roles in The Retsy Chronicles. Although I am fundamentally opposed to Retsy appearing in any post-Kronos story, I think this instalment hit a good balance. If Retsy is going have a second go at life, it should be to learn from other characters, not just whine about her failures.

I am sorry that I did not even comment on this chronicle when you posted it. There’s no excuse for that. It’s bitter to know that this cliffhanger-ending will never be resolved, and that I did nothing to oppose that. Will Ranari, Moonshadow, and Retsy be stuck in the spirit world forever? Will they meet their deceased friends/family? (Is Tae’lin’s daughter there?) Is it possible for them to return to the physical world?

I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share what would’ve happened next, if you had continued with the series? Would Iannah have come next? And if so, would that story have had any connection or continuity to this one?

@453 said in Fading Ashes:

Really interesting and fun to read ^_^ I was expecting a chron making fun of Tiernan, but I am not disappointed! It feels really good to read a new chronicle again. Thanks for writing! I think Selax is understating this Pandora's powers - with her Box, one can do just about anything.

You’re welcome; I’m glad you enjoyed it. Actually, I wasn’t even thinking of Pandora’s Box (at least, not in terms of the computer program), but it makes the name work better. I finally settled on it after being unable to come up with anything better.

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

Your writing style has definitely improved.

Thank you, that’s quite kind of you. (I'm sure I'll return to form with my next post or chron though.)

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

I think that was a good choice, but for a different reason. A first-person Selax story sounds difficult to do because Selax is one of those characters that knows way more about what is going on than everybody else, so you'd lose the suspense and mystery. It's the same reason why the narrator for Sherlock Holmes wasn't Sherlock Holmes. This way we're left speculating and trying to piece together the clues because we're as in the dark as the protagonist is.

That’s a good point as well. Ironically, I’ve been re-listening to some of the Holmes audiobooks recently.

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

453, I need your help speculating here. I understood the message that using Pandora's Box to cheat at games causes horrible things like zombies rising up to ruin your friends' lives, but my memory of older stories is hazy.

I was hoping that message wouldn’t be so obvious, but at least no one has picked up on the hidden analysis of the early Roman Republic.

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

Have we met these mysterious cranky old characters before?

I don’t think so though they’ve been rattling around in my ideas bin for some years. Some of their characteristics were only developed recently. However, if they have appeared before, you might tell me what I named them 😛 .

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

The bear seems like a tavern reference but maybe that's a coincidence (maybe he's actually a dwarf). Then we have tall elf lady who sounds like a high school friend of Selax's.

It actually occurred to me shortly before writing this story that I’d accidentally ended up with an elf, Selax, and a dwarf-like creature, so I tried to come up with a way to make the last one less LotR-like. I think it’s a hopeless case, and I probably should just go with a dwarf and pretend the reference was intentional.

@troyen said in Fading Ashes:

What do you think is happening here? They clearly have some history and are aware of Pandora and are also a billion years old (which has all kinds of deep psychological implications if they were conscious and active for that time). Why did Pandora want Katerei (I mean, besides the obvious)? And if those undead weren't hers, whose were they?

All of these could theoretically be answered in future chrons...
I will say though that Selax and his associates are all rather old and are some of the saner beings to have reached their ages.

I’m not certain why you’d be concerned. Didn’t you read that the Otaekodu is only there to help 😛 ?

I kind of figured that part would be a favorite for people.

A very well-written story and an excellent job of world-building, though I wonder why you had to bring Retsy back to trouble the world 😛 .

@453

If it helps, my topic was titled an unofficial unhappy ending, so it can be ignored if desired.

Diga wrote this response:

once a queen wrote a story about a girl who saved a village from a dragon and all the people loved the story the end.

An amusing story as always. Well done 🙂 .

I think my favorite parts were the centrality of cats to the story (cats are very important to most stories as most people should know) and the fact that Wizard appeared and was late (as usual).

@ikaterei_bot, on 01 March 2018 - 07:54 AM, said in Beyond Tiernan's Eyes:

I'm suddenly wondering if story-Selax likes cats as much as author-Selax. Maybe it'll finally be something for him to have in common with T?

I haven't really thought about that to be honest, but I'm inclined to doubt it. Story-Selax doesn't tend spend a lot of time thinking about this own likes and dislikes. He's too busy messing with other people's lives 😛 .

@ikaterei_bot, on 01 March 2018 - 07:54 AM, said in Beyond Tiernan's Eyes:

oh no, this doesn't bode well for Kat

oh no. It's either Moonshadow or Adriana, isn't it?

OH NO

It's your own fault that you passed up the chance to kill Adriana in "Hym"...

Congratulations on a job well done 🙂 . A solid finish to the series.

You did a very good job of building up non-Cytheran's worlds and cultures. The characterizations and the descriptions were exceptionally well done.

@ikaterei_bot, on 22 June 2017 - 09:11 AM, said in Fading Lights:

And after two and a half years, still no happy ending for T and Kat? sulks Surely she’ll show up. She has to.

Probably followed by Selax and a few of his allies and enemies all engaged in a massive brawl 😛 (although Selax might actually be somewhat apologetic in such a situation).